The new Octavia should be revealed in the second half of 2019, with a public debut likely at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the autumn. The huge probable gains made by the Scala over its unloved predecessor, the Rapid, should gift Skoda with plenty of scope to upgrade the Octavia, its biggest-selling model globally. And insiders say the fourth-generation car is the personal ‘pet project’ of the firm’s CEO, Bernhard Maier.

Speaking at the recent launch of the Scala, Skoda’s board member for technical development, Christian Strube, told Auto Express: “Octavia is on the MQB platform, and that gives us more possibilities for the Octavia. We can also improve the next Octavia as we have improved the Scala.”

These upgrades to the Octavia won’t necessarily mean an increase in size. The Scala is already on the large side for a ‘conventional’ hatchback, so Skoda is unlikely to feel the need to expand the Octavia’s dimensions. We’d expect it to have the same wheelbase as the existing model, maintaining a useful advantage in rear-seat accommodation over its rivals.

The biggest difference could come in styling, which should feature plenty of sophisticated details. Expect these to include a more complex bonnet, with extra creases, as Skoda tries to add emotion to its already-established design principles.